CANCER

Diagnostic
Examinations
Diagnostic Examinations are
done to:
‫ ﭻ‬1. Determine the presence of tumor and
its extent.
‫ ﭻ‬2. Identify possible spread (metastasis) of
disease or invasion of other body tissues.
‫ ﭻ‬3. Evaluate the function of involved and
uninvolved body systems and organs.
‫ ﭻ‬4. Obtain tissue and cells for analysis,
including evaluation of tumor stage and
grade.
 Tumor Marker
Identification
‫ ﭺ‬Description: ‫ ﭺ‬Diagnostic Uses:
Analysis of ‫ ﭺ‬Breast
substances found ‫ ﭺ‬Colon
in blood or other
‫ ﭺ‬Lung
body fluids that are
made by the tumor ‫ ﭺ‬Ovarian
or by in response ‫ ﭺ‬Testicular
to tumor ‫ ﭺ‬Prostate Cancer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI)
‫ ﭽ‬Description: ‫ ﭽ‬Diagnostic Uses:
Use of magnetic ‫ ﭽ‬Neurologic
fields and ‫ ﭽ‬Pelvic
radiofrequency ‫ ﭽ‬Abdominal
signals to create
‫ ﭽ‬Thoracic Cancers
sectioned images
of various body
structures.
Computed Tomography (CT)

Description: Diagnostic Uses:

Use of narrow- Neurologic
beam x-ray to scan Pelvic
successive layers Skeletal
of tissue for cross-
Abdominal
sectional view.
Thoracic Cancers
 Fluroscopy

Description: Diagnostic Uses:

Uses of X-ray Skeletal
that identify Lung
contrast in body Gastrointestinal
tissue densities; Cancers
may involve the
use of contrast
agents.
 Ultrasonography
(Ultrasound)
‫ ﭼ‬Description: ‫ ﭼ‬Diagnostic Uses:
High-frequency ‫ ﭼ‬Abdominal
sound waves ‫ ﭼ‬Pelvic Cancers
echoing off body
tissues are
converted
electronically into
images; used to
asses tissue deep
within the body.
 Endoscopy
‫ﺕ‬Description: ‫ﺕ‬Diagnostic Uses:
Direct ‫ﺕ‬Bronchial
visualization of body ‫ﺕ‬Gastrointestinal
cavity or passageway Cancers
by insertion of an
endoscope into the
body cavity or
opening; allows tissue
biopsy, fluid
aspiration, and
excision of small
tumors; both
diagnostic and
 Nuclear Medicine Imaging
۞ Description: ۞ Diagnostic Uses:
Uses ۞ Bone
intravenous ۞ Liver
injection or ۞ Kidney
ingestion of
radioisotope ۞ Spleen
substances ۞ Brain
followed by ۞ Thyroid Cancers
imaging of tissues
that have
concentrated the
radioisotopes.
 Positron Emission Tomography
( PET)
۩Description: ۩Diagnostic Uses:
Through the use of ۩ Lung
a tracer; provides ۩ Colon
black and white or
color-coded images of
۩ Liver
the biologic activity of ۩ Pancreatic
a particular area, ۩ Head and Neck
rather than it’s ۩ Hodgkin and Non-
structure; used in Hodgkin
detection of cancer or ۩ Lymphoma and
it’s response to Melanoma Cancers
treatment.
 PET Fusion
‫ ۝‬Description: ‫ ۝‬Diagnostic Uses:
Use of a PET ‫۝‬ The same as PET.
scanner and a CT
scanner in one
machine to provide an
image combining
anatomic detail,
spatial resolution, and
functional metabolic
abnormalities.
 Radioimmunoconjugates
‫ ﭹ‬Description: ‫ ﭹ‬Diagnostic Uses:
Monoclonal ‫ ﭹ‬Colorectal
antibodies are labeled ‫ ﭹ‬Breast
with a radioisotope
‫ ﭹ‬Ovarian
and injected
intravenously into the ‫ ﭹ‬Head and Neck
patient; the antibodies ‫ ﭹ‬Lymphoma and
that aggregate at the Melanoma Cancers
tumor site are
visualized with
scanner.
 Nursing Responsibilities:

‫ﺖ‬Have a complete history and

physical examination.
‫ﺖ‬Relieve patients anxiety through:
*Explaining the test to be performed.
*The sensations likely to be experienced.
*Patients role in the test procedure.
 Nursing Responsibilities:
‫ﺖ‬Encourage the patient and family to voice
their fears about test results.
‫ﺖ‬Support the family throughout the test
period.
‫ﺖ‬Reinforce and clarify information
conveyed by the physician.
‫ﺖ‬Encourage patient and family to
communicate and share concerns and to
discuss their questions and concerns with
each other.